Yes, agreed so we're all on the same hymn sheet but in fact I meant without complying with the
rest of the requirement, i.e. Clear of cloud and in sight of the surface!
Which is why I wrote it with the caveat at the end of that sentence you quoted.
You can't just declare IFR and operate in 800 metres visibility instead of the 1500 metres for VFR if you don't comply with the latter.